It’s all fun and games until something goes “POP”…

Heading To The Start Of The Corinthian Race 2010

It is all fun and games until something goes “POP”….where should I start? I pushed out of my slip around 7:30am…ran back to the tiller, hoisted the jib, and off we went. The wind had picked up quite a bit overnight and listening to the weather report as I made a cup of green tea, it sounded like the wind was freshening and it could get boisterous! Boisterous conditions in a Folkboat usually equals the most fun you will ever have going 5 miles per hour; especially when your Folkboat is sporting a brand new mainsail and a still crinkly 85% jib! We made it to the starting line about an hour early and started preparing for our start that was slated for 11:10am. The closer we got to 11:00am the more the wind progressively increased and the more I was thinking a reef in the Mainsail would be a good call. So we tacked over to Angel Island to provide a little shelter from the gusts and throw the reef in. As more race boats began to show up….and as the wind started to increase…it was really a sight to see! After putting in the first reef, we tacked back over towards the developing carnage…and with the wind increasing to a steady 25 knots with gust to 30…the boat was calling for yet another reef and so we returned to the Angel Island side in hopes of finding more protection. After tucking the second reef I began hoisting the Mainsail when I heard a “POP”!!! With the rig still standing and the boat still floating I was happy to realize that the “POP” wasn’t major but still disappointing. The block leading the Mainsail halyard aft had exploded….leaving the Mainsail useless and our race over. We were officially the last boat over the starting line and limped our way home under a sliver of a jib. I’m sorry that it happened because I was really looking forward to the race….but I’m glad it happened when it did and where it did….

The Fleet Heading For The First Mark

There they go